Ed Sheeran, Who Took Career Hiatus To Enjoy Married Life With Childhood Sweetheart, Turns 32

Feb 17, 2023 by apost team

Ed Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter known for his heartfelt lyrics, soulful voice, and unique blend of acoustic and electronic sounds. Born on Feb. 17, 1991, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Sheeran began playing the guitar at a young age and quickly developed a passion for music. He grew up in a musical family, and his father was an art lecturer and a composer.

Sheeran's early musical influences included Irish folk music and hip-hop, which he listened to while performing in local venues around his hometown. After moving to London to pursue a career in music, he began playing in small clubs and recording demos, which led to him being discovered by Jamie Foxx. In 2011, Sheeran released his debut album "+," which showcased his signature style of combining acoustic guitar and electronic beats with his poignant and introspective lyrics. The album's lead single, "The A Team," became a massive hit and earned him international recognition.

Over the years, Sheeran has continued to release chart-topping albums and singles, including "x," "÷," and "No. 6 Collaborations Project," which featured collaborations with popular artists such as Justin Bieber, Cardi B, and Bruno Mars. In addition to his solo career, Sheeran has written songs for other artists, including One Direction and Taylor Swift.

Sheeran's success as a musician has earned him numerous awards and accolades, including four Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, and an Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year. In 2017, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to music and charity.

Sheeran quietly married his childhood sweetheart in a secret ceremony in 2018. Read on to find out more about Sheeran’s wife and how the musician stepped away from the spotlight for years to spend quality time with her.

In March 2017, Sheeran had kicked off a two-year tour, which ended up grossing more than $775.6 million from ticket sales, topping the list of highest-grossing tours of 2018, according to Pollstar. It went all over the world and included a headlining Glastonbury show and mini-residency at London’s Wembley stadium. However, in August 2019, Sheeran made a shocking announcement. He came home to Ipswich, Suffolk, to round out the tour and towards the end of the show, he declared to surprised fans that it would be the last for a while. 

“There is something very bittersweet about it. I love that you guys are here and we are ending it in Ipswich. This is my last gig for probably 18 months,” NME reported him as saying. Sheeran added, “It’s been an emotional day for a lot of people backstage. It kind of feels like, in a weird way, that you’re breaking up with a girlfriend that you’ve been with for years. It sounds odd but it has been a long tour.”

Only a month before the announcement, Sheeran for the first time confirmed he had married his long-time girlfriend, Cherry Seaborn. The British press later reported they had wed in front of close family and friends at the singer’s home just before Christmas 2018 and that Sheeran wanted a break to spend time with his newly wedded wife.

The pair, who met when they were children, reconnected later in life and began dating. In January 2018, the musician made their engagement announcement on Instagram with a sweet Polaroid photo captioned: “Got myself a fiancé just before new year. We are very happy and in love, and our cats are chuffed as well xx.”

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Sheeran’s 2019 break was not the first time the singer had stepped back from performing. In 2015, when he and Seaborn had reconnected, Sheeran announced he was taking a break and later explained, “The catalyst of taking a year off was also the fact that my partner quit her job in New York… we were just basically like, let’s quit our jobs and have a year of forming a tight bond. So we went traveling and spent every day for a year together.” 

He added: “This has been the first time I've ever actually had the time to fall in love properly.”

Sheeran also later revealed Seaborn to be the inspiration behind many of his hits, including “Perfect.” He told Us Weekly:

“‘Perfect’ was the first song that I wrote for the album, It was inspired by Cherry. … I didn’t see her first reaction to the song because she lived in New York at the time. So I just emailed it to her but she did really like it.”

The pair welcomed their first child, daughter Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran, in August 2020. “We are completely in love with her. … we are on cloud nine over here,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of a pair of baby socks. In May 20222, he announced the birth of his second child in much the same way, posting a photo of socks with the caption: “Want to let you all know we’ve had another beautiful baby girl. … over the moon to be a family of 4 x.” The child was later reported to be named Jupiter.

In October 2022, Sheeran told GMA he has embraced fatherhood, especially with his loving wife by his side.

“It's great,” he said. “I’m really enjoying being a father of two.”

Did you know Sheeran’s high school sweetheart was the inspiration behind his biggest hits? Which of his tracks do you count among your favorites? Let us know and be sure to pass this on to your music-loving friends and family.